Listen to Episode 1 of True Fit's new podcast 'Unwrapping Retail's Return Conundrum'

Listen now - True Fit's Sarah Curran hosts this new podcast series where we dive into the current retail landscape and the shift to the at home fitting room. Episode 1 features Dr. Simeon Gill - Senior Lecturer in Fashion Technology, at University of Manchester. Available via Spotify/Anchor and on YouTube.

February 4, 2022

Customer returns pose a big problem for ecommerce. The new fitting room is at home and with the acceleration of digital shopping, retailers and brands are under pressure to find the silver bullet. But the answer is more complex. Returns are a symptom of the new digital buying landscape - where shoppers are the new disruptor and driving loyalty has never been more important.

This episode features Simeon Gill, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Technology at University of Manchester. He brings expertise around the evolution of size and fit, body shapes and has studied the impact technology can have on sizing. He references consumer perception of fit and fit expectations as a key complexity in getting fit right with shoppers.

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"Some of the evolution, like with True Fit's interface - is where the views of the consumer and the perception of fit start to come to the forefront. There's been some really interesting developments in how knowledge has been structured around that." ~ Dr. Simeon Gill

 


"The emotional impact returns have on customers."  A 2 minute, 54 second clip where Sarah asks Simeon about how it makes retail customers feel about themselves when having to make a return due to fit.

In this episode, our team of retail experts closely examine digital shopping trends and their impact on returns. It will address:

  • The current retail landscape and the shift to the at home fitting room
  •  The growing  impact of returns on retailers and shoppers alike
  • Strategies and data that can help shoppers evaluate fit and style and connect them with brands they will repurchase.

True Fit experts Astrid Laidet, Principal Success Manager and Heather Anderson, Director, Global Marketing discuss best practices for winning in the new digital landscape with Simeon. They review fit benchmarking data that True Fit’s retail partners leverage to diagnose fit issues at source with garments and footwear. This data can help retailers identify if a fit block, the fabrication of a garment or customer preference is the source for a high return rate

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Fit is often about shopper preference. In this example, shoppers are sizing down in an oversized trapeze dress so it fits closer to their body. This is not likely how it was intended to be worn from a design perspective but when we understand what is trending with shoppers by referencing data, we can help them evaluate what size they will be happiest with.

LISTEN: to the full premiere episode of "Unwrapping Retail's Return Conundrum" now on Spotify:

"We need to consider more widely - perception of fit and fit expectation in the broader retail environment to help define where you might purchase from. To see the transition from saying initially, "This is your size" and now we are saying, "It's likely this size will fit you." It's that kind of recognition of subjective engagement of product and some of the learned elements around fit."
~ Dr. Simeon Gill

Coming soon: Episode 2 of  True Fit's "Unwrapping The Returns Conundrum" taking a behind the lens look at photography in wide world of retail.